Sri Lanka defeats Ireland by 79 runs in first ODI

Sri Lanka has enjoyed a comfortable start to their tour of the British Isles following a 79-run win over Ireland in the first one-day international in Dublin on Tuesday.

Batsman-cum-unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis has starred with both bat and ball, making an useful 18 not out in a total of 219 for eight and then took three wickets for 27 runs, with Nuwan Kulasekara top-scoring with an undefeated 42.

According to Sport24, Sri Lanka set Ireland 220 to win on a slow Clontarf pitch and although the game was always out of the reach of the non-Test nation, which lost four for 11 runs in 29 balls either side of the 20th over, Ireland, however, put up some late resistance before being bowled out for 140 with 10.1 overs remaining.

Mendis was named man-of-the-match -- two of his three wickets were the important ones of Ireland captain William Porterfield, caught at deep mid-wicket, and Niall O'Brien, leg before.

The Sri Lankans have arrived in Dublin without five of their star players- Kumar Sangakkara, for one, preparing for the upcoming Test series against England by playing in the County Championship for Durham, the report added.